The Arts of Cooperation

A decade or so ago, youd have been hard pressed to find one decent show in downtown Phoenix. Now there are so many cultural events on any given day that painters, poets, and performers have to fight for attention, er, the attention of the paltry five percent of locals who aren't home on their asses. Sigh.

Phoenix's arts community will band together for the Downtown Phoenix Festival of the Arts from. Look for poetry readings, a film festival, flamenco dancers, and a runway fashion show accompanied by a sewing-machine orchestra. If youre worried that so many creative types in one place will equal major drama, rest easy -- the only infighting youll see here is an "epic painting duel" between four local artists, including Kyle Jordre and Gabe Sandoval.